Somethings Are Not Always As They Seem
by Fantasy Writer '92
Summary: For Twenty-Six years, Emma Swan had been alone (with the possible exception of her baby daddy Neal, when she was 18) Then one freezing night in Chicago she meets a kindred spirit in Walter, a 14 year old single father and his infant daughter Mia. Two years later... Their world is turned upside down when Henry, Emma's 10 year old biological son leads them home to Storybrooke, Maine.
1. Chapter 1

**_"_** ** _Somethings Are Not Always As They Seem…"_**

An OUAT fanfiction

BY

 _Fantasy Writer'92_

\- _35 years ago, in the Enchanted Forest Version of China…_

"Mushu, awaken" commanded the First Ancestor, speaking to the tiny incense statue dragon.

With a bang and a clang, the stone fell to the ground and appeared to give life to the creature. "I LIVE! – So let me what good mortal needs my protection Great Ancestor. You just say the word and I'm there"

"-Mushu?" But the little dragon was so wound up, he just continued

"And let me tell ya, anyone that's foolish enough to threaten our family VENGEOUS WILL BE MINE! (Growling)

"MUSHU?!" the Ancestor called, finally claiming his attention. " _These_ are the family guardians," he corrected him pointing with his staff to the animal figurines pedestaled above in the rafters. _"They-"_

"Protect the family…" Mushu finished less enthusiastic.

"And _you?_ Oh, demoted one? Asked the Ancestor, pointing to the empty place.

"I… ring the gong" he huffed.

Then the Ancestor smiled, " _That's right, now wake up the ancestors…"_ gesturing to the other headstones surrounding him in the temple.

Mushu sighed in defeat, "One big family reunion coming right up…" and began banging the gong as loud as he could.

Soon the place was backed with the spirits of those who had come before in the Fa family. While they argued over the situation of Fa Mulan ( the main reason for awakening ) Mushu kept himself busy by reading the paper until one of the spirits grabbed him and his gong to fight over which guardian spirit to send after the crossdressing teen. Until the first ancestor ended the fighting by deciding to awaken the Great Stone Dragon perched outside the temple. Mushu offered to go instead in hopes of reclaiming his guardianship. But was ultimately made a laughing stock and turned down on account of what happen to his last person Fa Dang who was decapitated after taking some bad advice from guess who. The more he tried to argue his side, the more the first ancestor lost patience until finally throwing him literally out of the temple with orders to awaken The Great Stone Dragon.

Grumbling as he walked down the steps "All I'm asking is one chance, it's not like it would kill you.."

"Ah! But the question is WOULD it kill _you, Dearie?"_ giggled an impish voice out of nowhere.

"-Wh ah… Who's talking? Who's here?" questioned the tiny dragon looking around, not seeing anyone but definitely smelling him.

"Just me dearie" answered this leathered dressed man with a lizard like complexion to his skin tone as he grabbed Mushu's tail from behind.

"Hey! Ahh Watch it!" complained Mushu, "That's my personal tail! You're gonna-" but then he gulped as he realized just _what_ the leather was made out of. "No Please! _Please! Don't skin me! I Wanna LIVE!"_ he begged down on his knees with his claws together praying.

The imp giggled, "Relax Dearie, You're too short and scrawny enough to make a suitable _belt_ let alone one boot or hat…but, that's not why I'm here"

Curious Mushu drew closer, "It isn't?"

"-No, I am here to make a deal. But it all comes down to _how_ much you want to be a guardian?"

The tiny dragon couldn't believe his ears "You're playing with me right?"

"Certainly not dearie, and I can make your dream happen…for a price"

"ANYTHING!" Mushu exclaimed jumping up and down and dancing in place. " You can have anything you want as long as _I_ can be a guardian again"

The strange man giggled _"Anything"_ is my favorite price Dearie! Are you sure you know what you're asking for ?"

"I don't care!"

"Alright Dearie, but in order to make it official-" he broke off and used magic to make a contract appear. "Sign on the dotted line…"

In haste Mushu burnt the tip of his tail and wrote with the soot. "Now what Rumpelstiltskin?" he asked having read the name.

The Dark One stuffed the contract back into his coat "Now attempt to awaken the Great Stone Dragon…"

Mushu's mouth dropped open "What?"

"Just do it, and trust me dearie…" he said disappearing in a cloud of smoke…

 _-6 Months before the Dark Curse is cast…_

Mushu hummed to himself as he dusted off his beloved pedestal with pride. Hard to believe it had been three years since his first mission with Mulan to save China. Though she wasn't home very much anymore. It left him a lot of time to think about that strange deal he'd made with that strange dragonhide wearing Rumpelstiltskin and wonder if or how he was ever going to pay back his debt should the Dark One ever come to collect… little did the poor dragon know this was the day….

"Enjoying the peace and quiet Dearie? Can't say as I blame you… usually this is quite the chattiest place isn't it?"

Mushu turned around to find _Rumpelstiltskin_ in the temple of the Fa ancestors. Knowing he'd be in big trouble with the first ancestor once he woken. Mushu tried to get the magic man out as quickly as possible.

"Wha- what are you doing here Dark One?"

He giggled, "There no need for such hostility dearie, I'm here to collect on our debt"

"-Shh!" said Mushu knowing he'd be toasted now by the ancestors for making that deal and what had _really_ happened with the Great Stone Dragon. "Alright, Alright if it'll get you out of here. I'll pay- What do you want?"

"You're going to help me by taking a little trip" said Rumple as he grabbed him.

"Go? I can't go, to where?"

"The land without magic, ahead of the dark curse"

"WHAT? Wait a minute! No! I got a comfortable life here! (though it won't be _as_ comfortable when you're gone and the ancestors beat me to a bloody pulp) he thought.

"Nice try Dearie but NO one breaks a deal with me! _You are going_ , and there in a different form. You will someday help someone of great importance to me!" announced the dark one as he reached into his pocket and threw down the remains of a crushed magic bean. A small swirl opened a tiny portal. Not enough for a grown man to go through but alright for a lapdog or a measly tiny dragon. "Time to pay up dearie," said Rumple as he let go and dropped Mushu in. "No!" he shouted as the overpowering swirls caused his claws break off and his body disappeared within seconds…

 _-Somewhere in Chinatown NY,_ an older gentleman of Asian descent snapped his eyes open as his assistant knocked on the door of his office: "Mr. The Dragon, you're next appointment is here to see you?"

Dragon sat up in his chair and shook his head, trying to clear himself of the thoughts of his past.

"Yes, please send them in…"


	2. Chapter 2

Later that night after everyone else had already gone home. The Dragon was closing up shop when suddenly he heard the shattering of glass and voices coming from the backroom.

"Shh quiet! Don't want to attract the old fool's attention. Hurry now, we have to move quickly" stated the first voice.

"-But is it right to use magic Greg when we're set on trying to destroy it?" asked the second,

 _They were here to steal his magic?_

"Keep your voice down!" the man "Greg" hissed, "Tamara, we have been over this. The Home Office is getting tired of waiting…They need the Heart of the Truest Believer if we are to have any chance of destroying it at all. And the only one that qualifies is the _child_ of Neal Casssidy. And unfortunately, his oldest is very hard to come by due to the protection on that town he lives in. But it seems fate has destined us another chance to complete the mission… Now grab that jar of pixie dust in the corner"

The Dragon was very close to the curtain separating the back and the front of the building.

"Got it, so how do you want to do this?" asked the woman "Tamara"

"His wife, Liz is due to have the baby any day so… _we_ are just going to help things along then if need be… remove her from the problem"

The Dragon felt his blood run cold, _they were talking about murdering an expectant mother and kidnapping her child?!_ All for the purpose of destroying MAGIC?!" He knew that he had to stop them but the second he entered the back. The Dragon felt himself thunked really hard upside the head and saw stars before passing out…

Upon coming to the Dragon stirred and rubbed his sore cranium as the memories of what had occurred came rushing back. Among the cluttered remains of his inventory he found a tracking spell and used it on a ripped piece of fabric that had torn off of one of the thieves clothing when they entered. The cloth led him down a back alley to where the bandits had their victims cornered.

As the Dragon got closer he heard two sounds he'd never forget: the squall of a newborn baby that increased when a gunshot went off.

 _"_ _Why you-?!"_ the man "Neal?" leapt into defense of his dead wife and crying child. Now in the grasp of its mother's murderer.

"I'm sorry it had to be this way Neal," said Tamara "But eventually in time you'll see it was for the best"

"NO!" he screamed has he launched himself toward the couple and grasped his hands on his child. But the man "Greg" was prepared and threw a handful of stolen pixie dust in Neal's face but still he wouldn't let go of the baby even as he started to sneeze until he fell back and hit his head on the ground. Out cold causing the dust to do its thing and de-aged him back to a teenager.

"Come on, let's get out of here. The Home Office is waiting…" said Greg as he grabbed Tamara's free hand that wasn't holding the inconsolable baby and threw a magic bean down on the ground and a familiar green swirling vortex formed.

But the Dragon wasn't letting them get away that easy. Morphing into a bigger version of his old form. He roaringly snatched the infant from the frightened Kidnappers / murderers with one swipe of his claws and used his tail to knock the troublesome duo through the portal just before it closed. Once back to his human self the Dragon lightly shook the teen awake.

"Are you alright lad?"

The boy looked around confused "Where am I?"

"New York City, Do you remember what happened?"

He shook his head "Not really,"

"- Do you know who you are?"

"I-I think so,"

"What's your name?"

"Baelfire,"

The Dragon raised an eyebrow. "Do you remember this little one?" he asked gesturing to the newborn baby he carried.

The boy "Baelfire" stared at the infant "She looks a little like my friend "Lizzy" from Foster Care- _Oh my god LIZZY?!"_ exclaimed the teen seeing his teen friend lying dead on the ground. (some of the pixie dust had been spilled over her too) "Lizzy!" he cried cradling her still warm body. "What happened to her?" he asked brokenly.

The Dragon shook his head as he traded persons with the boy. "Come, Come back to my shop and I will explain. Right now, we have to get you and this little one out of the cold weather."

Not knowing what else to do Baelfire followed the old man…

The Dragon explained everything the best he could to the heartbroken teen:

Apparently, he and Lizzy were more than just friends and that they had this child together. But some bad people who wanted to use the child for their own selfish purposes had killed Lizzy after she gave birth and he had hit his head badly trying to protect it. But the bad people who did this were gone now. _But for how long was the question?_ "

The Dragon offered the newfound teen father a place to stay for the night but he was already at work on a plan to get them somewhere safe, to _someone actually…_

When Baelfire woke up the next morning, the Dragon was already taking care of the baby. Over breakfast he explained that contrary to what he had been told, magic did in fact _exist_ in this world. But it was mostly muted and worked differently than in the Enchanted Forest where the boy was originally from. It was also the main reason those people went after them last night.

So, the Dragon for both of their safety wanted to send them to the one person who could protect them. A current nonbeliever named "Emma Swan". Her own destiny was to be revealed in time…

And despite Baelfire's numerous objections, the old man convinced him that the shortest way to her was by a magic tracking spell. After briefly having himself and the baby engulfed in a smoke cloud he found himself standing on the busy streets of Chicago that were increasing heavily in snow and ice the more he walked. Not knowing exactly where to go until around 10:45 that night when he came across a young blond woman having car trouble with her yellow Volkswagen bug…

Despite having his own problems of being cold , having a crying hungry baby in his arms, and in search of Miss Swan. Something inside Baelfire made him want to stop and help the poor frustrated woman.

"Excuse me, did you need any help?" The blond slammed her car hood down.

"Who wants to know?" she asked sarcastically, "Neal?" She blinked her eyes and refocused on just who was in front of her. "Sorry kid, I thought you were someone else…Hey, what are you doing all the way out here? And with a baby?! _It's freezing!"_

 _"_ _-_ I'm looking for someone,"

"Who?"

"Her...her-" but then the empty rumbling of his stomach cut in, follow by the child even louder squalling as he tried to tuck her further into his jacket for warmth.

She sighed, feeling compassion for the two. "Come with me, you can look for whoever in the morning. I'll help you… Right now, you're both cold and surely won't make it if you stay out here."

Locking up her car, she took the boy's hand and proceeded to lead them down the next block and a half to an apartment building. Instantly Baelfire felt a rush of welcoming warmth as they entered the lobby and through the elevator until they were on the right floor. The woman went ahead and unlocked the door with her key.

"Come on in and make yourselves at home," she said heading for the kitchen. Where she found some leftover pizza for herself and the teen and a not so full milk carton she could heat up for the baby.

While she was busy Baelfire all but collapsed on the couch and tucked a blanket around him and the child. Then the woman's voice called out to him:

"So kid, what's you're name?"

"Baelfire," he replied. Appearing with a warm sippy cup full of milk, the woman sat down on the coffee table in front of them.

"May I?" she asked.

He immediately gave her the baby and watch how she nursed her. "I don't have any kids of my own but luckily the previous people who lived here seemed to have left this behind. You said your name was "Baelfire" who gave you that?" she asked, making a face.

"-My mother," Well she must have had a strange sense of humor… Is she your sister?" the woman gestured with her head to the infant she held.

"My daughter," Baelfire corrected,

"Oh?" her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "But you're so young…?"

 _(Way younger than I was when I had my kid. At least I was considered legally an" adult" then…But let's not go down that path Emma. You gave him up for his best chance, and PRISON was not a place for a baby)_ thought the woman.

With a huge sigh she gathered up her guts and finally spoke her mind,

"Kid, my name is Emma Swan, and I think you'd better tell me everything…"


End file.
